A Cat Tail
by Mikel Midnight
Summary: Original comic script based on a short story by my eight-year-old daughter, partially inspired by the 'transformation into a cat' scenes from The Cat Returns.


**PAGE ONE:**

PANEL 1 (top tier):

A girl with blonde, wavy hair of about nine years old, in school uniform, is sitting by herself on a bench off to the side of a schoolyard. She is shown full-body in profile, and is obviously absorbed in reading a book (barely visible is the title, 'If You Listen Closely').

PANEL 2 (top tier):

A repeat of the same shot. A lump is starting to appear at the base of her spine, just under the hemline of the skirt; motion lines radiating from the lump indicate that the process is a sudden one.

PANEL 3 (top tier):

A repeat of the same shot. The lump has gotten bigger, the motion lines showing more activity, and the tip of a furry tail is starting to peek out from the center rear of the skirt waistline. Her far arm is twisting behind her, away from the reader, as if her waist is starting to itch.

PANEL 4 (splash):

A shot of the girl from the rear: a furry, striped cat's tail has extended out from the back of her skirt and is waving happily. She is looking over her shoulder with an expression of astonishment.

TITLE (at bottom of panel): A Cat Tail

Credits (written by Miriam Norwitz)

**PAGE TWO**

The girl's appearance is as it was in the first page, but there is a slight, barely detectable point at the tops of her ears.

PANEL 1:

A woman in her early twenties is approaching the girl. She is dressed in 'work casual,' but she has a plastic belt and sash around her waist and torso, obviously some sort of designated school authority figure. The girl is holding the tip of her tail in her hand to show the woman, although the tail seems like it wants to be waving with a will of its own.

YARD DUTY: "What's wrong, Molly?"

MOLLY: "I'm a cat. Look!"

PANEL 2:

Close-up of the woman on yard duty. Her index finger and thumb are extended before her face as if she had been holding the end of the tail close for study, although the tail is in the process of waving itself out of her grip. Her eyes are tracking the tail's progress and her expression is bemused.

YARD DUTY: "Oh. Um. Yes. A cat."

PANEL 3:

The woman is holding a small pad and pencil which she has slipped out of her pocket. She has torn off the top sheet from the pad and handed it to the girl.

YARD DUTY: "I don't think cats are allowed in school. You'd best go down to the nurse's office. Here's a hallway pass slip."

MOLLY: "Thank mreowl … I mean … thank you."

PANEL 4:

The girl is shown running down a school hallway, tail waving behind her. In the background you see other girls and boys of a range of ages from five to ten, looking at her with surprise, some of which she seems to have pushed her way through, some pointing at her tail. She is in the process of plowing past a man who has the same plastic belt and sash as the woman on yard duty.

MOLLY: "Excuse me … excuse me … I have a slip … "

PANEL 5:

A close-up of one of the girl's ankles. Another girl's foot is extending itself out to catch her at the ankle, and judging from the position of Molly's leg it's clear she is in the process of tilting out of control and falling.

MOLLY: "I have a … squeak"

**PAGE THREE:**

Molly's ears have continued to sharpen, and are starting to look feline. She also has the beginning of a division in her upper lip, which looks as if it could be a small vertical scar, and her fingernails are visibly longer.

PANEL 1:

Ground level view of Molly as she's landed on the floor. Her elbows are splayed out at her sides, her knees slightly bent, but she's plainly caught herself on her hands and toes, inches before her torso strikes the floor. Her face shows fear and distress and some confusion. You can see from the shins down a group of other girls which have started to draw around her.

LIZZY (from off-panel): "What are you doing Molly, running around like that ... with that … "

PANEL 2:

A view from slightly above and behind Lizzy's shoulder looking down on Molly who is still on the floor, looking upwards with a frightened expression. She's holding up the hallway pass like a crucifix to a vampire. Lizzy has crouched partway down and her right hand has taken hold of the end of the tail and is tugging at it forcefully.

MOLLY: "I have to go to the nurse's office … I have a slip … "

LIZZY: "I can see you slip all the time. What is that thing? Let me see it."

PANEL 3:

Molly has scampered back up onto her feet and is heading down the hallway again, looking desperate. Lizzy has rolled back onto her heels and is holding on to her wrist, which now has four long scratch marks down it. One of the other girls in the group is in a half-crouch, supporting Lizzy so she doesn't roll onto the floor. All of them are looking at her with an expression of concern.

GIRL 1: "Lizzy, are you okay?"

LIZZY: "That little bitch scratched me … and that thing is real! It's like it's attached to her!"

GIRL 2: "Grosss … "

PANEL 4:

Molly has arrived at the door marked 'Nurse,' and is in the process of opening it in order to enter the office. She has calmed down but is sniffling and wiping her nose with the back of a hand.

PANEL 5:

The nurse is a slightly heavyset woman with long brown hair which she has tied into a bun in the back of her head. Her face is pretty although a pointed nose prevents her from being a classic beauty. Her expression is more friendly than concerned, as Molly doesn't seem to be grossly wounded, although she is clearly a bit upset.

NURSE: "Molly! Hello dear, what's the matter?"

MOLLY: "I am a cat just so you know."

NURSE: "Sit on the bench, we will take a look."

**PAGE FOUR:**

Molly's ears have migrated upwards, being placed closer to the top of her head than on the sides. Her eyes are more catlike, and although she doesn't have much in the way of a muzzle, she has a recognizably feline nose. At this stage, she is looking like the standard anthropomorphic cartoon cat.

PANEL 1:

A close-up of Molly's very feline ear, with a medical ear probe shining into it.

NURSE (from off-panel): "Hmmm."

PANEL 2:

A close-up of Molly's eyes with their tell-tale split pupils, with a medical eye probe shining into it.

NURSE (from off-panel): "Yes."

PANEL 3:

A close-up of Molly's open mouth, a tongue depressor being used to examine it. She has pointed canines and a felinely flat tongue.

NURSE (from off-panel): "I see."

PANEL 4:

The camera pulls back and the nurse has laid the equipment to the side, having finished with it. She is extending her hand to scratch gently behind one of Molly's ears, almost absently as if it's something she does by reflex when a cat is around.

NURSE: "Sit on the bench; we will call your mom."

PANEL 5:

A harried-looking woman in an office, typing at the computer, her desk covered with stacks of paper, which are less than neatly arranged. She bears a strong family resemblance to Molly, although her hair is dark rather than blonde, longer, and streaked with grey. She is tilting her head against her shoulder in order to hold the phone handset in a decidedly awkward position.

MOTHER: "Nurse Price? Yes, this is she. Well, I told you that unless she throws up or has a fever not to .. so what's the problem? She's a what?"

PANEL 6:

Molly's mother has entered the office, and is hugged tightly by her daughter. Her mother is stroking her hair affectionately.

MOLLY: "Mom, what took you so long? I was waiting for a long time."

PARENT: "Well, let's get out of here. I will find you a new school for cats."

MOLLY: "Thank you so so much, Mom."

PANEL 7:

Same shot, although Molly is looking up into her mother's face with an appeasing expression.

PARENT: "Well then, let's go. Come on."

MOLLY: "Mom, can I say good bye to my friends and get my things?"

PARENT: "Yeah, but hurry up, ok?"

MOLLY: "Ok Mom, I will be fast."

**PAGE FIVE: **

Molly's hands are looking more pawlike, and her legs as well have altered into a more feline form, although it's only subtlety seen underneath the uniform skirt she is wearing.

PANEL 1:

Molly leaves the room. She's walking through a gauntlet of other schoolchildren, who are all pointing at her and commenting. Molly is looking increasingly upset.

(from the crowd):

"There she is."

"Here, kitty kitty kitty."

"I bet she wants to sniff your butt."

"Do you use a litterbox now, Molly?"

"I better not see you using the girls' bathroom."

PANEL 2:

Molly is at a door marked 'LIBRARY.' Some of the other children are starting to crowd around her. One is flipping up the tip of her tail, curiously; another one is holding a bowl in front of her face and pouring liquid into it out of a milk carton. Molly is obviously close to breaking out into tears.

(from the crowd):

"All that stuff can't be real, can it?"

"Would you like some milk, kitty?"

"I didn't know kitties could read."

"She probably just wants to claw all the books up for her litterbox."

PANEL 3:

Molly walks up to her friend Natalie, who is sitting reading a book. The other girl looks enough like her that they could have been sisters (in Molly's human form, anyway), although she is taller, and skinnier, with longer and very straight hair.

MOLLY: Hi Natalie, there's something I need to tell you. I am going to a different school because everyone knows I am a cat."

PANEL 4:

Natalie is leaning over and hugging Molly tightly around the waist.

NATALIE: "I'll miss you."

MOLLY: "But we can call and e-mail."

NATALIE: "Promise?"

PANEL 5:

Molly is holding Natalie's hands in hers.

MOLLY: "Promise. Say good-bye to Mrs. James for me?"

NATALIE: "I will."

MOLLY: "I'll miss you, too!"

PANEL 6:

Molly and her mother are walking outside to the car. Molly is carrying her backpack and struggling to put it on, as her current body shape makes such activities awkward.

MOLLY: "Let's go, Mom."

PARENT: "Okay hon. Come on, let's go to cat school."

**PAGE SIX:**

PANEL 1:

Frontal shot of Molly, who is looking fully feline. She is sitting in the back seat of the car. She is still wearing her school uniform but it is ill-fitting on her.

MOLLY: "Mom, can I turn into a cat now?"

PARENT: "Yes, you may."

PANEL 2:

Same shot, although Molly has no shrunk down to cat size and is sitting in a pile of clothes.

MOLLY: "Mom, I have a question."

PARENT: "Yes hon, what is it?"

PANEL 3:

Side shot of Molly cat. Her rear legs are on the seat and her front paws are on the back of the front seat as she peers at her mother.

MOLLY: "Why did you adopt me?"

PARENT: "Well, when I saw you, I was just like … that's the one I want to love … so I just picked you."

PANEL 4:

The car is pulling up into the new schoolyard. Architecturally it resembles an ancient Egyptian temple, although scaled down considerably. One can see cats peering at the car from various corners and alcoves.

PANEL 5:

Bird's eye view shot from the roof of the school. In the foreground are a trio of cats sitting on the edge of the roof, peering down as Molly and her mother depart from the car.

MOLLY: "Wow, I like it here."

PANEL 6:

Molly is happily running towards the school in the foreground, and a pair of other cats have approached and seem to be running along with her and romping in a playful manner. Her mother is leaning against the car with her arms folded, watching.

MOLLY: "Bye Mom, I will have a good time here."


End file.
